Laundry-marking machine.



C. C. MITCHELL.

LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men APR. 21. ms.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

C. C. MITCHELL.

LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 19I6.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

LQQZLAL'X,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. C. MlTCHELL.

LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FlLED APR. 2|. 191s.

Patented Sept. '25, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- mw'k C. C. MlTCHELL LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, l9l6.

13%,41 2C PatentedSept. 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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CLARENCE C. MITCHELL, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THIE'NATIONALMARKING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LAUNDRY-MARKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 11917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE C. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United Statesand resident of Cincinnati, in the county 0 Hamilton and State of Ohio,have lnvented a certain new and useful Laundry-Marking Machine, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to and conslsts in certain improvements uponlaundry marking machines of the general class illustrated and describedin patent application No. 863,996, filed September 28, 191 1, byClarence C. Mitchell.

In machines of this class there are a number of type wheels, eachbearing all of the characters for which the machine is designed, forinstance all of the letters of the alphabet and the numerals 0 to 9inclusive. There is, however, only one set of keys bearing the symbolscorresponding to those applied on each type wheel, and there is also ameans for setting any one of the type wheels in position with theselected type in the proper place for printing. Obviously, therefore,some means must be provided for successively setting the various typewheels in selected positions, which positions are controlled ordetermined by the type keys. In machines of this kind, therefore, it isnecessary that there be some sort of an escapement or feeding device forprogressively connecting the keys and the type wheel operating deviceswith the respective type wheels, and it is also necessary that somemeans be provided for quickly and easily returning all of the typewheels to normal position after completing a printing operation.

My object is to provide improved means of simple, durable andinexpensive construction, whereby the keys may be progressivelyconnected with the type wheels through the means for operating the typewheels, in a convenient, facile and economical manner,

and further to provide improved means for readily, quickly and easilyreturning all of the type wheels to normal position.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects eontemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows avertical, sectional view of parts of a laundry marking machine, for thepurpose of illustrating the location and arrangement of my improvementrelative to the keys and type wheels thereof.

Fig. 2 shows a detail, sectional View through the hollow shaft of theescapement device and connected parts.

Fig. 3 shows a detail view illustrating the means for releasing thepawls from the rack bar to permit the return of the rack bar to normalposition before returning all of the type wheels to normal position.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows a detail, sectional view, illustrating the lug on the rackbar for engaging the type wheel operating segments.

Fig. 6 shows a detail view illustrating a part of one of the type wheeloperating segments and the rack bar and its lug connected therewith. Thedotted lines show the position of the lug when at its downward limit ofmovement.

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged, detail view illustrating the pawls and therack bar.

Fig. 8 shows a detail view illustrating the means for automaticallyrotating the type wheels back to normal position after a printingoperationhas been completed.

Fig. 9 shows an enlarged, detail view illustrating the spring actuatedpawl forming part of the mechanism for returning the type wheels tonormal position.

Fig. 10 shows an enlarged, detail view illustrating the cam device forreleasing the pawls from the rack bar.

Fig. 11 shows a detail view of part of the mechanism for returning thetype wheels to normal position.

Fig. 12 shows a detail view of part of the mechanism.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the referencenumeral 10 to indicate generally the frame of the machine. Near thefront of the frame is a stationary shaft 11 upon which are rotatablymounted the type wheels 12. There may be any desirable number of thesetype wheels, but in the present instance I have illustrated mechanismfor operating ten of these type wheels.

' Each type wheel has on its periphery a number of type faces 13 withnotches 14 between them.

These type wheels are set to proper position each independently of theothers by means of pinions 15 having teeth thereon to enter the notches14. These pinions are rotatably mounted on a shaft 16, and each of thesepinions 15 has a small pinion 17 fixed to it.

For operating the small pinions 17 I have provided a 'series of toothedsectors 18 meshed with the pinions 17. These sectors,

as will be seen on reference to Fig. 2, are independently rotatable onthe hollow shaft 19 at their rear ends.

The operation of this part of the device is as follows: When any of thesectors 18 is moved upwardly and toward the rear of the machine, thepinion 17 is rotated, which causes the pinion 15 to rotate with it andthe rotation of the pinion 15 effects the corresponding rotation of thecorresponding type wheel, so that if the sector is moved up a rearwardmovement of the sectors at any predetermined position, as follows: Thereference numeral 20 indicates a series of key bars which are mountedfor up and down movement on a curved rod 21. When any.

of these keys is depressed it will be projected into the path of all ofthe sectors 18, as shown in Fig. 1, thus limiting the movement of thesector and thereby determining the position of the type wheel. Thedownward movement of all of the sectors is limited by a stationary rod22 extended across the front of the machine.

After the type wheels have all been set to the desired position forprinting and the printing operation from the selected type has beeneffected, it is then desirable to quickly return all of the type wheelsto normal position. For this purpose I have provided the followingmechanism. Rotatably mounted upon the hollow shaft 19 is a hub 23capable of being operated by acrank 24 attached to it. This hub has anarm 25 fixed to it, and this arm has a cross bar 26 on its upper end,which cross bar is capable of engaging the rear faces of all of thesectors 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that a'movement of the crank24 will operate the arm 25 in a direction tending to push all of thesectors downwardly and forwardly to normal position.

In order that all of the type wheels when moved to selected positionsmay be acculi a 16 a disk 27. Mounted in front of the shaft 16 is arotatable shaft 29 mounted in suitable bearings not shown. Fixed to thisshaft 29 is an arm 28 for purposes hereinafter made clear. Rotatablymounted upon the shaft 29 is a series of pawls 30, each of which has itsmovement on the shaft 29 limited by means of the key 31 operating in aslot 32 formed in the pawl 30. A spring 33 is provided for each pawltending to hold it toward the corresponding pinion 17. By thisarrangement the pinion 17 is always held in position with the pawl 30accurately positioned in one of the notches between the teeth of saidpinion 17.

It is obvious that before the sectors can be returned to their normalpositions, these pawls must be released. For this purpose I haveprovided on the disk 27 a cam 35 designed to engage the arm 28 and moveit in such a direction that it will rockthe shaft 29 .and thus withdrawall of the pawls 30 from their engagement with the pinions 17. For thepurpose of moving the disk 27 I have provided on the disk an arm 36connected with the link 37, which link has its other end pivoted to thehub 23 so that when the crank 24 is moved the first part. of themovement will rotate the disk 27 and thus release the pawls, and thenwhen the pawls are released a further movement will cause the arm 25 toengage all of the sectors and return them to normal position.

This movement of the crank 24 performs an additional function, to witthat of returning to normal position the escapement device hereinafterdescribed. For convenience in understandin the structure, the mechanismby which t e escapement is released and returned will be describedherein after the description of the escapement dev1ce.

1 My improved escapement device comprises a hub 37 rotatably mountedupon the hollow shaft 19 and having an arm 38 extended downwardly andforwardly. This arm is connected by a link 39 with a crank arm 40 a locknut 47 whereby it may be secured in any position of its adjustment. Bythis means the head 46 may be adjusted toward and from the arm 43 forthe purpose of compensating for wear of the parts connected with thislever.

The lower end of the lever is yieldingly held to one limit of itsmovement by means of a slide bar 48 mounted in the arm 43 and held inone position by aspring 49. The outer end of this slide bar 48 engagesthe lever 44.

Rotatablymounted in the lower end of the lever 44 is a short shaft 50having fixed to it a pawl 51. A spring 52 is wound upon this shaft 50for holding the free end of the pawl downwardly. This pawl is providednear its free end with the stop pin 53.

Mounted in the arm 43 is a short shaft 54 in line with the shaft 50.This shaft 54 is provided with a pawl 55 fixed to it inside of the pawl51, and extended under the stop pin 53, as shown in Fig. 7. On the otherend of the short shaft 54 is an arm 56 for purposes hereinafter madeclear. Mounted in the arm 43 isa slide rod 57 having a notch thereinthrough which the lever 44 is extended. One end of this slide bar 57 isextended to position where it will engage an inclined cam surface 58formed on the machine frame. These parts are so arranged that when thearm 43 is swung upwardly and rearwardly the slide bar 57 will engage theinclined cam surface 58 and thus move the slide bar in a directiontoward the sectors, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This movement will swingthe lower end of the lever 44 with its pawl in a direction toward thesectors.

Slidingly mounted within the hollow shaft 19 is a rack 59 yieldinglyheld toward the right, as shown in Fig. 2, by the spring 60, itsmovement in this direction being limited by the stop pin 61. This rackis engaged by both of the pawls 51 and 55. Each time that the lever 44moves the rack 59 is advanced one tooth space by the pawl 51 and isthere held by the pawl 55 so that when the lever 44 returns the pawl 55will hold the rack 59 in position. This progressive movement of the rack59 is continued until. the rack 59 reaches its limit of movement in adirection toward the left, as shown in Fig. 2.

The hollow shaft 19 is slotted at its top,

as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the pawls 51 and 55 to enter it and engagethe rack bar, and it is also slotted adjacent to the sectors as shown inFigs. 5 and 6. On the end of the rack. bar 59 is a lug 62 projectedthrough the slot in the hollow shaft 19, and capable ofsliding'longitudinally through a corresponding notch formed in each ofthe sectors. The thickness of this lug 62 substantially corresponds tothe thickness of one of the sectors, sothat when it is in the positionshown in Fig. 5 and the rack bar 59 is rocked, the said lug will engagethe corresponding sector and move it. In this connection it is to beunderstood that the teeth of the rack bar are so proportioned in size inrelation to the thickness of the sectors that each movement of the pawl51 will advance the rack bar 59 to position which moves the lug 62 fromposition where it will engage one sector to position where it it isstopped in its movement by one of thekey levers. The other pawl 55serves to prevent any backward movement of the rack bar.

Inorder to return the rack bar to normal position just prior to thereturn of all of the sectors to normal position, I have provided thefollowing mechanism; Mounted upon the hub 23 is a spiral cam 63 which isin engagement with an arm 64. This arm'is fixed to a sliding shaft 65,there being a spring 66 normally tending to holdthis shaft to the right,as shown in Fig. 2. Connected to the arm 64 is a guide rod 67 slidinglymounted in the frame 10, which serves to prevent any rotation of the arm64. Fixed to the slide rod 65 is an arm 68 having an inclined uppersurface at 69, as shown in Fig. 3. Its inclined u per surface isarranged in the path of t e arm 56 when the hub 37 is in its normalposition. In this connection it'is to be noted that in Fig. 4 the hub 37is at its rearward limit of movement. When in normal position this hub37 a is in such position that the arm 56 would be in position adjacentto the arm 68, as shown in Fig. 3 and not as shown in Fig. 4. When therod 65 is moved longitudinally, the inclined end 69 thereof will engagethe arm 56 and move it forwardly, as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 3,which will cause the pawl 55 to be withdrawn from the rack bar 59, andduring this upward movement the pawl 55 will engage the pin 53 and thusmove the pawl 51 upwardly out of engage- This releases the ment with therack bar. rack bar 59 and its spring 60 causes it to instantly return tostarting or normal position.

In practical operation and assuming that the machine is in its startingor normal position, then the operator selects the desired key for thefirst type wheel and depresses it. This moves one of the key levers 20to position where it will be in the path of the sector when the latteris moved. He then grasps the conveniently arranged handle 42 wheel.

set to printing position. has been done from the type Wheels, they arereturned to normal position by manipulation at the side of the machineand moves it downwardly through a relatively small range of movemen.This causes first a movement of the rack bar 59 to position where itwill engage the first one of the sectors corresponding to the first.type The continued movement of the crank 42 moves the sector upwardlyuntil it strikes the key lever. This causes the corresponding type Wheelto be movedto position with the selected character in print.- ingposition; The operator then the crank 42 and depresses the type keywhich he has selected for the second type wheel. He then again graspsthe crank 42 and moves it as before. This operation roceeds until allofthe type wheels have After the printing of the crank 24 as beforedescribed.

One of the advantages of my improved I mechanism for setting the typewheels to printing position is that it requires only a short movement ofa conveniently located crank at the side of the machine. Furthermore,the parts have only a limited'movement and are not subjected toexcessive Wear. If any adjustment for wear is necessary, this may bequickly andeasily accomplished by a manipulation of thescrew-threadedrod 45 and the lock nut 47.

The mechanism for returning the sectors to normal position is also ofextremely simple construction and is operatable by aat the side of theBy mounting all. of the sectors on a hollow shaft and by having the rackbar movable longitudinally in said hollow shaft and being provided witha' lug toengage the sectors, the expense of construction of a device ofthis character is very greatly lessened and it is made very strong anddurable. By adoptin this principle the mechanism required For advancingthe rack bar and arranging it can be made very simple and of few parts,the action of which is very con venient for the operator.

I claim as 'my invention:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a series ofsectors adapted to operate type wheel devices, a rack bar capable ofmovement successively to the several sectors, said rack bar of arockingmovement, means carried by the rack bar for successive engagementwith the several sectors for moving them for the purpose of operatingthe correspond ng type wheels, a handle, a pawl device operated by thehandlefor advancing the rack bar, and

means also operated by the same handle for rocking the rack bar.

2. In a machine of the class descrlbed, the

cessively with each of the advance the said pawl to capable of movement,tion adjacent to each of the sectors, a device also being capablecapable of movement successively to position adjacent to each of thesectors, a device carried by the rackbar for engagement successivelywith each of the sectors, said, rack bar also being capable of a rockingmovement with said rack bar, a crank for rocking the hub, and -meanscarried by the hub whereby a rocking movement thereof will. releases\advance the said pawl to move therack bar. 3. In a machine of the classdescribed,

the combination of a series of sectors adapted to operate type wheeldevices, a rack bar capable of movement successively to positionadjacent to each of carried by the rack bar for engagement sucsectors,said rack bar also being capable of a rocking movement, a hub capablevof a rocking movement, a pawl carried by said hub and in engagement withsaid rack bar, a crank for rockfin'g the hub, means carried by the hubwhereby -a rocking movement thereof will spring actuated means forreturning the rack bar, and a second pawl for preventing a returnmovement of the rack bar during the. operation of the first pawl.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a series tooperate type wheel successively to posiand in engage move the rack bar,

ment, a hub capable of a rocking movement, a pawl carried by said hubthe sectors, a device of sectors adapted devices, a rack bar carried" bythe rack bar for engagement successively with each of the sectors, saidrack bar also being capable of a rocking movement, a hub capable of arocking movement, a pawl carried by said hub and in engagement with saidrack, bar, I ing the hub, means carried by the hub whereby a rockingmovement thereof will advance the said pawl to move the rack bar,'springactuated means forreturning the rack bar, a second return movement ofthe rack bar during the operation of the first pawl, and means wherebywhen the second pawl is held out of engagement with the rack bar it willalso hold the first pawl out of such engagement. 5. In a machine of theclass described,

the combination of a series of sectors adapted to operate type wheeldevices, a rack bar capable of movement successively to posipawl forpreventing a a crank for rockwhereby a rockingmovement thereof willadvance the said pawl to move therack bar, spring actuated means forreturning the rack bar, a second pawl forpreventing a return movement ofthe rack bar during the operation of the first pawl, and means wherebywhen the second pawl is held out of engagement with the rack bar it willalso hold the first pawl out of such engagement, means for operatingsaid second pawl for releasing the rack bar whereby it may be returnedto normal position by its spring, said latter means including a crank,and means connected with the crank for forcing the sectors back tonormal position upon an operation of said crank for the release of saidpawl from the rack bar.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a seriesof sectors adapted to operate type wheel devices, ahollow shaft on whichsaid sectors are rotatably mounted, said shaft having a slot at the endand said sectors having notches adjacent to the slot, a rack bar insideof said hollow shaft and having a lug to project through the slot 'inthe hollow shaft and into the notches of the sectors, a pawl inengagement with the rack bar, and a device including'a pawl inengagement with the rack bar, said device being arranged on its initialmovement to advance the rack bar and upon further movement to rotate therack bar.

7. In .a machine of the character described, the combination of a seriesof sectors adapted to operate type wheel devices, a hollow shaft onwhich said sectors are rofatably mounted, said shaft having a 'slot atthe end and saidsectors having notches adjacent to the slot, a rack barinside of said hollow shaft and having a lug to project through the slotin the hollow shaft and into the notches of the sectors, a pawl inengagement with the rack bar, a device including a pawl in engagementwith the rack bar, saiddevice being arranged on its initial movement toadvance the rack bar and upon further movement to rotate the rack bar,and a crank for moving said device.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a seriesof sectors adapted to operate type wheel devices,

- a hollow shaft on which said sectors are rotatably mounted, said shafthaving a slot at the end and said sectors having notches adjacent to theslot, a rack bar inside of said hollow shaft and having a lug to projectthrough the slot in the hollow shaft and into the notches of thesectors, a pawl in engagement with the rack bar, a device in-v cluding apawl in engagement with the rack bar, said device being arranged on itsinitial movement to advance the rack bar and upon further movement torotate the rack bar, a crank for moving said device, and a second pawlin engagement with the rack the first pawl is betors adapte to operatetype wheel devices, a hollow sha t on which said sectors are rotatablymounted, said shaft having a slot at the end and said sectors havingnotches adjacent to the slot, a rack bar inside of said hollow shaft andhaving a lug to project through the slot in the hollow shaft and intothe notches of the sectors, a paWl in engagement with the rack bar, adevice including a pawl in engagement with the rack bar, said devicebeing arranged on its initial movement to advance the rack bar and uponfurther movement to rotate the rack bar, a crank for moving said device,a sec- 0nd pawl in engagement with the rack bar for preventing arearward movement of the rack bar when the first pawl is being operated, and means for disconnecting both of said pawls from the rack barto permit a return movement thereof. I

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a seriesof sectors adapted to operate type wheel devices, a hollow shaft onwhich said sectors are rotatably mounted, said shaft having a slot atthe end and said sectors having notches adjacent to the slot; a rack barinside of said hollow shaft and having a lug to project through the slotin the hollow shaft and into the notches of the sectors, a pawl inengagement with the rack bar, a device in bar for preventing a rearwardmovement cludin a pawl in engagement with the rack I bar, said devicebeing arranged on its initial movement to advance the rack bar and uponfurther movement to rotate the rack bar, said rack bar advancing meanscomprising a lever, a spring for holding the lever to one limit of itsmovement, a slide bar connected to the lever for operating it, astationary cam in the path of the slide bar for moving the slide bar andthe lever, said lever having the said pawl attached to it, and a crankfor imparting a rocking movement to said device.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a seriesof sec tors or type wheel operating devices, a rack bar capable ofmovement successively to position for engagement with any one of saidsectors, a spring tending to return the rack bar to normal position, twopawls in engagement with the rack bar, connections between said pawlswhereby when one of them is raised it will raise the other fromengagement with the rack bar, and means for returning the sectors tonormal position, comprising a hub, a cam on the hub, a slide baroperated by the cam, an arm carried by the slide barand designed whenmoved to elevate one of said pawls, and an arm car- .a hollow shaft aLeaner? ried by said hub-for engagement with 5 the sectors to return allof them to normal position after the pawls have been released.

12. In a machine of the character described, the. combination of aseries of sectors adapted to o erate type wheel devices, (lapted 'tohave the\ sectors rotatably mounted thereon, and provided with a slotadjacent to the sectors, a rack bar slidably received within the hollowshaft, a lug secured to the end of the rack bar and adapted to projectthrough said slot to selectively engage each of the sectors, 9. springadapted to yieldingly hold the rack bar at one limit of 1ts motion, apawl device adapted to move the rack bar step by step toward the otherlimit of its motion, a hub v mounted on the hollow shaft, having a camcam and operatively' connected with the pawl, whereby movement of thehub may the spring. 4 Des Moines,,Iowa', June 26, 1915.

CLARENCE C. MITCHELL, Witnesses: V 1

EDWARD J. ARMBRUSTER, WILLIAM SOHWAEGERLE'.

release the pawls to permit the rack bar to bereturned to the limit ofits movement by

